Deby lifts restrictions on social media in Chad

Chadian President Idriss Deby announced on Saturday that he was lifting social media restrictions that had been imposed more than a year ago for "security reasons.

"In recent months, security imperatives have led the government to tighten access conditions and control measures for electronic communications," said Deby in a closing speech delivered in front of a digital forum at N & # 39; Djamena, the capital.

"These measures have been imposed in a context of terrorist threats (but)" the current situation "leads me … to instruct the companies concerned to immediately lift the restrictions imposed on electronic communications," Deby said.

Saturday afternoon, it was possible to access social media applications, including Whatsapp and Twitter, reported an AFP reporter.

Access to social media was cut last March, while public opposition opposed Deby's plan to pbad constitutional amendments that strengthened his power after almost three decades of decent work. 39; activity.

Access was still possible using VPNs, but their use is expensive in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Barely five percent of the population has access to the Internet.

Chad is a Western ally in the fight against jihadist groups in Africa and is threatened by Boko Haram, which has made several deadly incursions into its territory in recent months.

The largely desert north, on the border between Sudan, Libya and Niger, is very unstable, while several rebel groups have settled right on the border with Libya.

In late January, Chadian rebels seeking to destabilize Deby entered the north-east of the country from Libya, but were repulsed after the French air strikes.

In the east, farmers and groups of nomads clashed, while the southern border with the Central African Republic is still tense after the 2013 overthrow of the former president of the Central African Republic, who caused disturbances.

Legislative elections in Chad are scheduled for the end of the year. They have been postponed several times since 2015, because Deby, who took power in 1990, is trying to maintain his grip on the country.